Abstract:American TV series are embodiment of today’s American society, culture, customs, values, and lifestyles. American TV series, as the entertainment products, have become English learning resources for learners. Compared with classroom learning, watching American TV series can better promote the formation of the ways of thinking and expressing in English and the improvement of oral English communication ability for English majors. In this research, 146 English majors from Xuzhou Institute of Technology are chosen as subjects to study the influences of American TV series on English majors’ oral English learning. The thesis aims to find out the effective ways for English majors to improve their oral English by watching American TV series. According to the research, the researcher suggested that some principles such as principle of limiting time, principle of establishing focus, principle of persistence should be followed and some strategies such as choosing appropriate TV series, neglecting the captions etc. should be exploited when using American TV series to improve oral English. English majors can benefit a lot from American TV series in terms of oral English learning. First, they can have a better understanding of American culture and traditions. Second, their ways of thinking in English can also be improved. Furthermore, their language ability such as listening and oral English can achieve great progress. 

Key Words: American TV Series  Oral English Learning  English majors  Research

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

Chapter Two Research on English Majors-2

2.1 Research Design-2

2.2.1 Subject-2

2.1.2 Research Method-2

2.2 A Discussion about the Results of the Survey-2

2.2.1 An Analysis of the Results of the Questionnaire-2

2.2.2 Test on American Culture-3

2.2.3 Test on Thinking and Expressing in English-4

2.2.4 Test on Language Ability-5

2.2.5 An Analysis of the Research-5

Chapter Three Findings of the Research-7

3.1 The Influences of Watching American TV Series on Oral English Learning-7

3.1.1 On Culture Understanding-7

3.1.2 On Thinking and Expression-8

3.1.3 On Language Ability-8

3.2 The Principles to Be Followed to Watch American TV Series-9

3.3 The Measures to Be Taken to Watch American TV Series-9

3.4 The Strategies of Exploiting American TV Series to Improve Oral English-10

Chapter Four Conclusion-11

References-12

Appendix-13